Western Cape firefighters battle Hessequa blazes as gale-force winds loom

Firefighters are battling two wildfires raging between Albertinia and Gouritzmond in the Hessequa region amid weather warnings of gale-force north-westerly winds for two days, from midday on Tuesday.

Garden Route District Municipality spokesperson Herman Pieters said the fire had broken out after 9am and was burning on both sides of the Gouritz River mouth.

Firefighters have launched an aerial and on-the-ground operation. Before midday, one house with a thatch roof was confirmed to be in danger.

The N2 had not yet been closed, but a thick blanket of smoke was obstructing motorists’ vision along the highway, the municipality warned.

Another fire was later on Tuesday reported in the Hoeko area and teams of Cape Nature were attending to it.

An “out of control fire” was also reported to be raging in the Bitou region.

Pieters confirmed that a weather warning had been issued by the SA Weather Service of strong to gale-force north-westerly winds expected from midday on Tuesday until Thursday.

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